Celona launched a neutral-host private wireless platform that can integrate with public network providers, a capability backed by the platform already having gained certification to work with T-Mobile's 4G LTE network.

The all-encompassing package includes all of the necessary hardware and software an enterprise would need to extend coverage from an existing commercial cellular provider into an enterprise location. This includes the use of existing LAN and WAN equipment already at a location, any needed additional infrastructure to support the deployment, access to Consumer Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum to power the in-building coverage and the required SIM cards that allow for users to seamlessly roam from a commercial network and the private wireless platform.

Celona CTO Mehmet Yavuz explained in an interview with SDxCentral that core to the Celona service is its Multiple-Operator Exchange Network (MOXN) technology. The MOXN technology is a cloud-hosted, multisite, multitenant software exchange that acts as the traffic and management layer to support up to five different commercial mobile operators.

“It's a secure cloud-based solution, which can handle multiple sites, multiple tenants in a secure and fully redundant and reliable way, and from there we tunnel back to the operator core,” Yavuz said.

The neutral-host option runs as an extension on top of Celona’s private wireless platform, which the vendor updated earlier this year with 5G-specific updates. They included a new 5G access point that supports a deeper pool of spectrum resources, the vendor’s Converged Edge product that provides core and control plane services, and a cloud-based orchestrator that supports remote installation of access points and the edge software.

“They will basically enjoy better connectivity with faster data speeds, and as they walk in and out of the service it will be seamless,” Yavuz said of the neutral-host option. “It's not like Wi-Fi that you need to ask for the Wi-Fi password, get the Wi-Fi login, none of that. From the subscriber perspective, if you have a T-Mobile phone, when you walk in from one bar outside you will get five bars inside and you will still see the T-Mobile icon, nothing changes.”

Celona is upfront on pricing. A three-year subscription begins at $5,000 per indoor access point. Adding on the neutral host with a single operator (T-Mobile US, initially) and a private wireless service begins at $11,000 per indoor access point. This includes all the necessary software.

The service also opens up Celona’s target market to opportunities outside of the “uncarpeted enterprises” it has been targeting and into areas like health care, hospitality, retail and entertainment venues.

The T-Mobile integration is through that operator’s “Bring Your Own Coverage 2.0” program. The integration basically allows Celona’s network to act as an extension of the commercial network.

Yavuz explained that the certification process involved integration with T-Mobile's security gateway that connects to its core. Then Celona needed to ensure its technology met specific quality and functionality requirements for voice, emergency 911 (E-911), emergency services, wireless priority services and “all the services that T-Mobile provides. We needed to ensure that we meet the regulations and regulatory requirements.”

That certification followed months of testing with the carrier and a large retailer.

“Every day there are thousands of devices connecting. On average we are getting more than 3,000 devices connecting to this network,” Yavuz said. “This has been our trial for quite a few months now to increase confidence both for us and also for T-Mobile. This is ready to go now with opening this up.”

Yavuz added that Celona was also working through 5G certification efforts, which he expects to be cleared next year and align with broader availability of 5G devices compatible with CBRS spectrum.

“We see that a majority of the devices have 4G CBRS but not all the devices have 5G yet,” Yavuz said. “They are coming and this solution will be upgradeable to that.”

The neutral-host platform can support up to five different mobile network operators at one time and an accompanying private wireless network running on the CBRS spectrum. Yavuz said that this capability provides a more cost-effective way for mobile operators to increase their footprint.

“The current model is such that the end customer or enterprise is paying the bill,” Yavuz said. “For an operator this is essentially like a zero-cost way of increasing their RF footprint. And it can scale and they get all the KPIs and performance monitoring, all the regulatory requirements are met.”

Yavuz also noted that Celona’s work with T-Mobile is more robust than a similar-looking deal the carrier signed earlier this year with Federated Wireless. He explained that while he did not know all the details from that Federated Wireless agreement, Celona is providing all of the components for an end-to-end service.

“We believe for a truly scalable model, this end-to-end offering is really crucial,” Yavuz said. “Our customers really appreciate the fact that you don’t need to chase different vendors, different components. It’s just one throat to choke.”